In the Irish Brigade | Page 8

that
it cannot be much longer; and that, when Marlborough is defeated, and
his army driven back across the sea, he will send a fleet and an army to
place me on my throne."

"We shall all rejoice, indeed, when that time comes, Sire; and I am sure
there is not a man in the Irish Brigade who will not follow you to the
death, and serve you as faithfully as many of them did your royal
father."
"I hope you will come here often, Monsieur Kennedy. I am sure that I
shall like you very much, and I think that you would always say what
you thought, and tell me the real truth about things."
"Sire!" one of the older men exclaimed, reproachfully.
"I mean no reflection on anyone, Dillon. You all say what I am sure
you feel, but you have grown accustomed to waiting, and all think of
what is politic, and complain that I speak too frankly. Monsieur
Kennedy comes straight from Ireland, and he is not old enough, yet, to
have learned to measure his words, and will not be always afraid that
anything he may say will be carried to the king.
"How I wish that the king would send me with Marshal Tallard!"
"That would never do, Sire. The English are your subjects, and they
would never forgive you, if you were to appear in the field with a
French army, fighting against them."
"But the Irish Brigade fight, Dillon?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, but they are in the service of France, and, by the
terms of the treaty of Limerick, were allowed to expatriate themselves,
and to enter the French service. We have, in fact, renounced our
nationality, with the consent of the English, and, if taken prisoners,
could only be treated as captured foes, and not as traitors. Of course,
when Your Majesty ascends the throne, we shall again become British
subjects."
"I trust that that may come soon, Dillon, and for your sake, rather than
my own. When the time comes, you will not find me backward, but this
weary waiting tries me sorely, and, were it not for those who have
remained faithful to our cause, I would gladly resign such chances as I

have of succeeding to the throne of England, and take a commission in
the Irish Brigade."
Dillon and some of the elder men shook their heads.
"Can you wonder?" the young prince said, passionately. "Here is
Master Kennedy, who is younger than myself, though a free life and
exercise have made him a man, in comparison to me. He has his life
before him. He will bear his part in many a pitched battle, and,
doubtless, in many a private adventure. He is his own master, and, as
long as he does his duty, there are none to say, 'you must not do that;
you must not say that; you must preserve your dignity; you must speak
softly and discreetly; you must wait patiently.'
"I envy you, Master Kennedy. I envy you, from the bottom of my heart!
Come often to see me. You will always be welcome;" and, turning
abruptly away, he left the chamber hurriedly, to conceal the tears which
filled his eyes.
His counsellors shook their heads solemnly, but Colonel O'Brien said,
warmly:
"What the king says is natural, for a man of his age; and, for my part, it
has increased my respect for him. I say it without offence, but what
could be duller than the life this lad leads here? He has been brought up,
literally, without a pleasure. His late Majesty, heaven rest his soul! was
absorbed in his religious exercises, and nothing could have been more
trying, to a boy, than a court in which the priests and confessors were
practically supreme. Since his father's death, things have been but little
better, and now I see that, at heart, the young king has plenty of spirit
and energy, I can feel that his life has been that of a caged hawk, and I
am not surprised that he occasionally breaks out into revolt against it. It
would, methinks, do him a world of good, had he a few companions
about his own age, like Ensign Kennedy. I would even say that,
although I can quite understand that, as King of England, he could not
well take a commission in one of our regiments, he might at least be
placed with one of our most experienced and honoured colonels, in
order to learn military exercises, and to mix with the officers as any

other nobleman might do, when attached to the regiment."
Murmurs of dissent arose among the counsellors.
"Well, gentlemen," the colonel went on, "I have no desire to interfere
with your functions, but, in my opinion, it is good that